Patent GB-190323953-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Glass Drawing Machines
Inventor: HARVEY GEORGE HENRY
Filed: 1903-11-04
Granted: 1904-03-10
Abstract: 23,953. Harvey, G. H. April 20, [date applied for under Patents Act, A.D. 1901]. Drawing; shearing and cutting.-Relates to a machine for drawing cylindrical sheets of glass, in which means are provided for the continuous drawing of the sheet, and for equalizing the temperature at the place where the molten glass solidifies. Refining-rings are also provided in the tank from which the glass is drawn. Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the machine. Fig. 2 is a broken sectional plan view, Fig. 1, the inner supporting- clamp being omitted. Fig.3 is a similar view with the shearing-mechanism omitted. A gatherer 76, which slides on vertical guides 18, is introduced into the space between the ports 4 of the refining-rings 3 provided on a tank 2 containing molten glass 1. When the glass has adhered to the gatherer, as at 77, Fig. 1, it is drawn up through the spaces between the cooling-chambers 8, 9 adapted to cool the inside and outside of the sheet respectively, and through openings in a table 17, on which the guides 18 are supported. The gatherer is raised to the desired height, and then the glass cylinder 77 is supported by a clamp or clamps while the lower end is cut. round by means of cutters 63. The clamps 19, 20 are adapted to bear on the outside of the cylinder, and the clamps 44, 45 assisted by auxiliary clamps 40, 41, 42, 43 are adapted to bear on the inside of the cylinder. The clamp 9 is formed of two parts hinged at 19<1> and locked at 19<3>, and the clamp 20 can slide on the uprights 18. Normally all these clamps are open, but when the gatherer has been raised to the required height, the clamp 20 is first closed, and the cutter 63 brought into operation. The cutter is operated by a cam 65 on the outer tube 53, which can be turned by a handle 60. When the cam presses on the face 66 of a recess in the body of the cutter, the cutter assumes the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, while, on further rotation, the cam presses on the circular face 67 of the recess, and causes the cutter to advance into the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, when the cutting- device of the cutter 63 impinges against the inner surface of the glass, and the cam 65 presses against the face 68 of the recess, and then the cutter has a circular motion. The cutter preferably carries a cutter-wheel 70, mounted in a slotted way 71. While the cutter is being forced outwardly, it is prevented from rotating by a projecting lug 69 on the cutter abutting against a rigid lug 56, which is mounted on the central support 28 and projects through a slot in the clamp 44. The cutter describes a circle, and in doing so passes over the inclined face of a spring-actuated pin 57, depressing the pin until the cutter has passed over it. The pin then rises, and prevents the cutter from rotating backwards when the motion of the cam is reversed to return the cutter to its position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the glass has been severed, the gatherer is removed and the glass detached. The severed lower portion of the glass may be allowed to run back, in which case a second sheet of glass is formed by again introducing a gatherer ; or, the drawing may be continued by supporting the ends of this cylinder by means of clamps, and raising these by means of toggle or other mechanism. After the glass has been drawn, the clamp 19 is closed, and the inner clamps 44, 45 are closed by turning the tube 29 on which are the cams 33, the cams pressing on lugs 52, 53 of the clamps 44, 45. The cams also force the auxiliary clamps 40, 41, 42, 43 outwards. The auxiliary clamps are hinged to the clamps 44, 45 by means of pins 46, 47, and are connected to the cams 33 by rods 34 pivoted to the cams and to pins 35 sliding in slots 36, 37 in the clamps. When the glass has been cut, and the top cylinder removed, a clamp 72, Fig. 2, is lowered into place in line with the clamp 20. The clamp 72 is provided with flanges 75, which pass over the end of the cylinder and interlock with the same by passing under the lugs 26 and into the recesses 27 of the clamp 20. A suitable tackle is lowered and attached to the clamps 20, 72, and, before this tackle is raised, the clamps 19, and 44, 45 are loosened, these lower clamps being again closed when the cylinder has been drawn to the required height. All the scum contained in the refining rings is drawn off in the first draw, and after this the glass drawn is of a purer quality. The coolers 8, 9 are cooled by a stream of fluid, which, if a gas, may pass through holes 13 directly on to the glass. When a liquid is used, outlet pipes are provided. The chamber 8 is provided with baffles 10, Fig. 6, for equalizing the temperature of the cooler. A cooling-fluid is also passed through an extensible tube 81 passing through an opening in the gatherer. An exit opening 82 is also provided in the gatherer. The tube 29, to which the cams 33 are attached, is provided with a handle 30 mounted on trunnions so that the handle can be swung into a slot 32 in the tube and lie flush with the tube, so that the gatherer can be slid over this tube. The handle 60 of the outer tube 58 is also supported on trunnions. The cutter-wheel 70 may be dispensed with, and its place taken by shear blades 83 attached to the clamps 44, 45 and the auxiliary clamps 40, 41, 42, 43. In this case, the clamping-surfaces are not required, but a similar mechanism is used to that used to advance the clamps into operative position. A similar blade 84 may be attached to the outer clamp 19, and its free ends may be controlled by a hydraulic ram 85 or by similar means. The gatherer may be of other shapes, as oval or oblong, the coolers and clamps having corresponding shapes. The cutting-knife may press inwardly against the exterior of the cylinder of glass, the inner clamps forming a bearing-surface. The central supports 6, 28 may form a part of the glass tank 2, and have openings through them similar to the ports 4 of the refining-ring 3. Both the exit and inlet pipes for the fluid to chamber 8 may pass through the column 6.